Cardcase



R. O. H. HILL.

Feb. 16, 1943.

CARD CASE Filed June 20, 1940 @am DAO. H. HILL ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 NETE. n

'is enfriar OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a card case;

The invention proposes a case for holding a stack of cards and a novel means for dispensing "said cards singly from the case.

More specifically, theA invention contemplates characterizing the dispensing means by a thin sheet of elastic material having a high coefficient of friction and mounted across an opening on one of the walls of the case whereby an area of the sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in the case and then moved forwards to dispense the card.

Still further the invention proposes to provide the case with an end wall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit through which the cards in the case may pass one at a time, and it is further proposed to mount said thin sheet of elastic material having a high coefiicient of friction across said opening in one of the walls of the case in a manner so that an area thereof may be 'pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in the case and then moved forwards to partially project the card. through said slit.

More specifically, the invention proposes a novel fashion of constructing the sheet of elastic material to increase its coefficient of friction. An arrangement is also proposed for mounting the elastic sheet in a certain manner in position to facilitate its stretching so that the card may be effectively dispensed.

The invention also contemplates to so arrange the parts that the elastic sheet may be manipulated to replace a partially dispensed card into the case if this is desired.

An important feature of the card case resides in the fact that dirt which may be transferred from ones fingers to the elastic sheet will ynot in turn be transferred to the cards.

Still further the invention proposes a novel and simple construction of the case to facilitate placing cards therein.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to ed claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly7 set forth.

1n the accompanying drawingy forming a material part of this disclosure".

the following description f `and accompanying drawing, and to the append- -section I0.

louter faces of the side walls Fig. 1 is a plan View of a card case constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the cardcase, with a portion thereof broken away to disclose interior parts.

Fig. 3 is a side case.

A Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the card case looking from the right hand end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 'l is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts in a different position.

Y Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the thin sheet of elastic material used in the card case.

The card case, in accordance with this invention, includes a case IEI for holding a stack of cards not shown on the drawing, and having a top Wall Illa formed with an opening Il, and furthermore having an end wall IIlb` inclined outwardly `from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit I2 through which said cards may pass one at a time. It is proposed that the case I I)v be constructed of composition material, such as Bakelite,`or other hard and rigid materials. Y The case I0 is formed from two separate sections. There is a body section I and a cover The body section I0 consists of a bottom wall IUc, and rear end wall ld, the front end wall IIJb, and side walls Ie. The cover section I0 comprises thesaid top wall Ilia, and side Walls IDf. These side walls engage in between the side walls Ille of the body section I0.

Means isV provided for releasably holding the body section I0 and cover section Iii together so that these vparts may be separated when it is desired to fill the card case with cards. This means includes several vertical ribs I4 on the IIJf and slidably engaging complementary vertical grooves I5 formed on the inner faces of the side walls IIIe. A projection I4a. is arranged on one of these latter mentioned parts and is engageable with a complementary niche I5a. on the other of these parts for releasably holding the sections of the body closed. More specifically, the projections Illa are disposed on the bottom end portions of the vertical ribs I4. The` niches I5a are diselevational view lof the card lposed at the bottomn portions jof the vertical `grooves I5. In Fig. 6 a 'detail is 'shown of the out from the body section I.

manner inwhich each pair of projections Ida and niches Ia engage each other.

'I'he side walls Ie and I0f are somewhat resilient so that the projections I4a and niches I5a may disengage each other as illustrated in Fig. 8. Fig. 5 shows the card case closed. To open the case it is merely necessary to engage the finger nail into the slit I2 and pull the cover section I0 upwards relative to the body section I0. This opens the body so that additional cards may be inserted therein.

The opening II in the top wall I0a is finished with a thickened surrounding bead I6 which is integral with the material of the top wall. Additional beaded portions I I are formed on the top Wall Illa in the Vicinity of the opening II to reinforce the top Wall. The outer faces of the side Walls Ie are formed with vertical serrations I3 to facilitate gripping and holding of the body section I0 when the case is opened and when the case is being used. The slit I2 is produced by terminating the end wall IIIb a short distance down from the top edges of the side walls I 0e so that the top edge of the end wall Illb is slightly spaced from the bottom face of the top wall Ia. This space is quite small, approximately .014", which is sufficient to permit one of the business cards to pass through. The side walls Iile are formed with slight bulges Ice outside of the niches I5a to reinforce these points.

A thin sheet of elastic material 20 having a high coefficient of friction is mounted across the opening I I. Preferably, this sheet of elastic material comprises a thin sheet of latex or rubber. This sheet is formed with a plurality of closely spaced small perforations 2l to increase the frictional coefficient thereof. Four hundred perforations per square inch have been found satisfactory. The sheet 20 extends across the entire width of the cover section I0 and is of a length to extend slightly to the front and slightly to the rear of the ends of the opening II. Strips of gum tape 22 extend along the front and rear edges of the rubber sheet 20 and attach these edges to the material of the top wall I0a. Preferably, the sheet 20 is mounted upon the bottom face of the top Wall Illa. The side edges of the sheet120 are free to facilitate forward and rearward stretching of the central portion of the sheet. The tape 22 is the sole means for supporting the rubber sheet 20 in position. The opening II is elongated and extends longitudinally of the case I0, that is, at right angles to the slit I2 which is transversely of the case.

The case is used in the following manner:

The cover section I0 may be removed from the body section IU by engaging ones finger nail into the slit I2 and pulling the cover section I0 A stack of cards is then placed in the case and the cover section I0 is remounted on the body section I0.

When it is desired to dispense one of the cards in the case, the case is held in the palm of ones hand and the thumb is placed through the opening II upon a rear area of the elastic sheet 20. The thumb is then pressed down so as to press a portion of the elastic sheet against the top face Vof the uppermost card in the stack. When the thumb is moved forwards, flexing the rubber sheet 20 forwards, the uppermost card will be moved forwards due to the frictional resistance between the rubber sheet 20 and the card. Thus the card is partially projected from the slit I2. A person to whom the card is offered may grip the extended portion of the card and pull it from the case.

The card may be drawn back into the case by allowing the elastic sheet 20 to move back to its original position while at the same time pressure is maintained between the elastic sheet 20 and the card. If the pressure is released the elastic sheet will assume its normal position while the card remains extended. Then the card may be replaced b-y engaging the thumb upon a front area of the elastic sheet 20 forcing the elastic sheet 20 downwards against the card and moving the thumb rearwards to draw in the card.

The cards may be dispensed singly until they are all dispensed. Even the last card may be dispensed. To do this the thumb is placed on a rear portion of the elastic sheet 20 and pressed down to engage the elastic sheet against the top face of the card. Then the thumb is moved forward flexing the elastic sheet and forcing the card forward. The front end of the card will ride upward on the inclined wall IDb and then the front end portion of the card will emerge from the slit I2.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In a card case having a casing for holding a stack of cards which is provided withV a top wall having an opening of sufficient length so that ones finger may be placed through said opening and moved forwards and also having an end wall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit disposed transversely of the casing through which said cards may pass one at a time, a thin sheet of elastic material having a high coeiiicient of friction mounted across said opening in a condition that it may stretch, whereby an area of said sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in said case and then moved forwards to stretch said sheet in a plane parallel to said top wall and partially project a card through said slit by frictional engagement.

2. In a card case having a casing for holding a stack of cards which is provided with a top wall having an opening of sufficient length so that ones finger may be placed through said opening and moved forwards and also having an end wall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit disposed transversely of the casing through which said cards may pass one at a time, a thin sheet of elastic material having a high coefficient of friction mounted across said opening in a condition that it may stretch, whereby an area of said sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in said case and then moved forwards to stretch said sheet in a plane parallel to said top wall and partially project a card through said slit by frictional engagement, said elastic sheet comprising a Vsheet of latex or rubber, having a plurality of small perforations to facilitate the elastic sheet frictionally gripping the adjacent card. v

3. In a card case having a casing for holding a stack of cards whichris provided with a top wall having an opening of suiiicient length so that ones finger may be placed through said opening and moved forwards and also having an end wall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit disposed transversely of the casing through which said cards may pass one at a time, a thin sheet of elastic material having a high coeicient of friction mounted across said opening in a condition that it may stretch, whereby an area of said sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in said case and then moved forwards to stretch said sheet in a plane parallel to said top wall and partially project a card through said slit by frictional engagement, said sheet of elastic material being vattached to the top wall of the case along its front and rear edges.

4. In a card case having a casing for holding a stack of cards which is provided with a top Wall having an opening of suflicient length so that ones finger may be placed through said opening and moved forwards and also having an end wall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit disposed transversely of the casingthrough which said cards may pass one at a time, a thin sheet of elastic material having a high coecient of friction mounted across said opening in a condition that it may stretch, whereby an area of said sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in said case and then moved forwards to stretch said sheet in a plane parallel to said top wall and partially project a card through said slit by rictional engagement, said sheet of elastic material being attached to the top wall of the case along its front and rear edges, and being free along its sides.

5. In a card case having a casing for holding a stack of cards which is provided with a top wall having an opening of suiicient length so that ones nger may be placed through said opening and moved forwards and also having an end wall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit disposed transversely of the casing through which said cards may pass one at a time, a thin sheet of l said sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in said case and then moved forwards to stretch said sheet in a plane parallel to said top wall and partially project a card through said slit by frictional engagement, said sheet of elastic material being attached to the vtop Wall of the case along its front and rear edges, with adhesive tape.

6. In a card case having a casing for holding a stack of cards which is provided with a top wall having an opening of sulcient length so that ones finger may be placed through said opening and moved forwards and also having end Awall inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top and at its top having a slit disposed transversely of the casing through which said cards may pass one at a time, a thin sheet of elastic material having a high coefficient of friction mounted across said opening in a condition that it may stretch, whereby an area of said sheet may be pressed down upon the face of one of the cards in said case and then moved forwards to stretch said sheet in a plane parallel to said top Wall and partially project a card through said slit by frictional engagement. said sheet of elastic material being disposed upon and attached to the bottom face of said top wall.

7. A method for ejecting cards from a card case having a wall formed with an opening across which there is mounted a thin sheet of elastic material and beneath which the cards are stacked, said case also being provided with a card discharge slit at one end of said wall, consisting in engaging a finger on said elastic material through said opening and pressing downwards' to cause the elastic material to frictionally grip the top card of said stack of cards, and then moving said linger laterally towards said card discharge slit and so flexing said elastic material laterally and thus moving said top card through said discharge opening.

RICHARD O, H. HILL. 

